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looking for good area for whitetails in N.D.

5265 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  Field Hunter
Just filled my Archery tag in Minnesota and would like to try some of those big prarie White Tails. I would appreciate any help on finding an area, landowners, etc. I have only done one out of state hunt so I don't have alot of experince at this sort of thing.
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I guess I should of checked the rest of the site more thouroughly before posting such a ridiculous request. I was ignorant to the NR sentiment in the state. I should of known that this is happening in N.D. as I hear the same complaints about the Deer hunting in my home state of Iowa. Now I am living in MN. have only been drawn in Ia 1 time and have been lumped in with the group of hunters that represent your worst NR experience. I am not here crying about your unwillingness to throw open your arms and beg for that NR $. I sincerely understand your reluctance to do so. I am just asking that you give NR hunters like myself a chance and evaluate us one person at a time. I will do my best to win a little spot to hunt in your state the old fashion way.--I will go door to door and ask for permission from land owners and try to convince them that I will respect thier land and the wildlife that lives there.
Mn bow hunter

Access is the key for your deer hunt. Some farmers will cave in for permission to hunt geese but as long as you stay out of the deer areas.

I not saying you can not find a place to hunt. You will have to do your time and home work talking to land owners. Just about every area in the state has really good numbers. So pick area and start asking.

Our deer gun season opens this friday. So be careful out there if you are hunting with a bow. I find deer opener is one of the best times to hunt geese. Every other smuck is deer hunting.

Good Luck
Dean
MN BH:

I'm sure you're aware that most people like to keep thier spots somewhat to themselves unless they are truely into bragging about all their hunting activities. This is true in my experience in MN lakes areas in the Summer and in most of ND in the Fall.

I don't think its a lack of anyone wanting to share information as much as it's a lack of deer and deer hunting areas. You may not be aware of the some of the statistics but ND only harvests approximately 75,000 deer per year. Most guys are not going to tell you where to find the wall hanger buck, at least until gun season is over.

Instead of asking for good areas to hunt from somebody that may know, my suggestion would be to pick and area and do the scouting yourself. I think anywhere in the southern and central part of the state would be as good as the next. You'll enjoy the entire experience much more if you find that trophy buck on your own instead of relying on some elses advice. One suggestion may be for you to spot and stalk with a bow instead of the traditional stand hunting that most MN do in hunting white tails. You can do this in the prairie areas and it's much more challenging that waiting for a buck to walk under a tree stand. (just my opinion)

You are right in the last line of your post.....you will need to ask many farmers for permission as many of them don't hunt much but do hunt deer. The rest of us have to ask permission so get on board and earn the chance to hunt a productive area. You'll appreciate it that much more and I'd bet you won't be as likely to post the location in the future.
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Thanks for your help!! I am not asking for anyone to give up thier spot or tie one up for me. Just looking for a general area. Are the landowners in ND pretty open to bow hunters after your gun season is closed. As a rule I find that to be the case in Mn. Again I appreciate the help and would like to learn more about stalking whitetails. It sounds challenging to say the least.
I would suggest you check out public land.We have a lot of Nat. Wildlife Refuges.Most are open to bow hunting.Also check out the Sheyenne and Little Missouri National Grasslands.
MN BH,

I would think that many of the farmers who have their land posted for the gun season would welcome you to take another deer afterthe gun season is over. Remember, though, the ND gun season is long starting this Friday at noon and ending 16 1/2 days later. Opening weekend is when the majority of the hunters are afield, at least the landowner/hunters who know where the deer are holding.

When it gets cold many of the deer bed in the same cattail sloughs that were hunted for waterfowl earlier in the season and many of these are waterfowl production areas open to public hunting.

As far as the stalking. I'd drive and glass likely looking areas in the morning and evening. I guess with a bow you may have to actualy see the area where the animal bedded down. We've also been successful in huntiing around waterholes with a lot of deer sign. This year that may work very well as much of ND is extremely dry.

PM me if you'd like.

Good Luck
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